Page 70 of If the Duke Dares
Loving this new power and the feel of him in her mouth, she grew bolder, using her hands and tongue to intensify his pleasure as he’d done to her. He lowered one of his hands to her breast, stroking and squeezing her. Moaning softly around his cock, she lost herself in the moment, giving herself over to the primal need to satisfy him, to ensure he was swept into the same sweet oblivion as her.
“I have to pull out.” He pushed at her head, moaning.
Persephone held him fast. She wasn’t finished, and neither was he.
“Persey, I’m going to spill inside your mouth. It’s—” He cried out, then cut himself off. “I can’t.”
But he could. Salty liquid flooded her mouth. Persephone didn’t know what was acceptable, but spitting it out seemed wrong. So she swallowed it, while using her hand and mouth to ease him through his release.
When he was spent, she withdrew, tucking his slackening cock back into his breeches. As he rebuttoned his fall, she pulled up her gown and fastened the hooks before tying the bodice more snugly.
Sucking him had been as arousing as what they’d been doing before. Indeed, she was quite ready for another climax herself, but it would be best if she went inside. No one would miss her—they thought she’d retired for the night—but if anyone decided to come outside, she and Acton would be in trouble.
She started to stand, and Acton quickly helped her, grasping her waist. He pulled her close. “You are magnificent.” He kissed her softly at first, then with a deeper intensity that only increased her arousal.
Putting her hands on his upper chest, she pushed him gently. “If you don’t stop, I’m going to sit you back down on that bench and lift my skirts to straddle you once more. Only this time, I’ll be unfastening your breeches so I can feel you against me.”
He kissed her cheek, then whispered, “If you do that, you’ll be feeling me inside you.”
Persephone shivered. How badly she wanted that.
“But I don’t want that,” he added in a low tone.
Disappointment iced her veins. “You don’t?”
“Not tonight. Not here on a cold bench. When I take you in my arms and we join together, it will be somewhere special. Or at least warm.”
Persephone couldn’t help giggling. “I actually didn’t mind the cool air. As it happened, I was rather overheated.” She licked her lower lip as she thought of how, between the night air and Acton’s attentions, her nipples had tightened.
“You are tempting me to continue what we’ve started. Only, I would bend you over the bench and take you from behind.” He shook his head. “No, not for our first time together. You are turning me into a rutting beast. And before you jest that I was likely one before—aren’t all rakes rutting beasts?—the answer is no. I am not a slave to my desires.”
“That is encouraging to hear.”
“I may, however, be a slave to you,” he said softly, caressing her cheek before he pressed a kiss to her lips.
After briefly kissing him back, Persephone stepped away—far enough that he couldn’t reach her. “I’m going now.”
“Will I see you tomorrow?” he asked. “We could meet for tea at the Pump Room. At three?”
“I would like that, but it will depend on Pandora.”
“Will you come even if she prefers not to?” His gaze was hopeful, his dark auburn hair seductively tousled from her hands. How could she refuse him?
“I’ll be there,” she said with a smile. “Now go!” She waved him off and started toward the house.
Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that he was gone.
She didn’t know if she could talk Pandora into going, not even if she told her what had transpired with Acton tonight. Persephone was torn between wanting to share her happiness with her sister and keeping it to herself—both because she was behaving foolishly and because she didn’t want her sister to feel badly. Unlike Bane, Acton wouldn’t abandon Persephone.
While that might be true, what did he want? Furthermore, what did she want?
Persephone found herself contemplating the future—and not one where she worked as a governess. Could there be something between her and Acton? Something…permanent?
How her parents would love that. That nauseating thought was almost enough to make Persephone change course.
Almost.
Tonight, however, had been too wonderful to ignore.
